One example system includes a lens disposed relative to a scene and configured to focus light from the scene. The system also includes an opaque material. The opaque material defines a plurality of apertures including a primary aperture and one or more secondary apertures. The system also includes one or more light detectors (e.g., a single element detector or an array of detectors) configured to intercept and detect diverging light focused by the lens and transmitted through at least one of the plurality of apertures defined by the opaque material.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the opaque material is disposed at or near the focal plane of the lens.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the opaque material is disposed at or near a conjugate plane of the lens associated with a predetermined maximum scanning range configuration of the system.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein a size of the primary aperture is greater than a respective size of each secondary aperture of the plurality of secondary apertures.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the primary aperture has a first size, wherein each secondary aperture has a second size.
6. The system of claim 4, wherein the primary aperture has a first size, wherein the first secondary aperture has a second size, and wherein the second secondary aperture has a third size.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the second size of the first secondary aperture is greater than the third size of the second secondary aperture.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the light from the scene focused by the lens includes light reflected by one or more objects illuminated by a transmitter of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of secondary apertures are arranged in the opaque material based on a position of the transmitter of the LIDAR device relative to a position of the lens of the system.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary aperture has a vertical axis and a horizontal axis orthogonal to the vertical axis, wherein the first secondary aperture is positioned above the horizontal axis of the primary aperture, and wherein the second secondary aperture is positioned below the horizontal axis of the primary aperture.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary aperture has a vertical axis and a horizontal axis orthogonal to the vertical axis, wherein the plurality of secondary apertures include at least two secondary apertures in a first linear arrangement between the vertical axis and the horizontal axis, and wherein the plurality of secondary apertures include at least two other secondary apertures in a second linear arrangement between the vertical axis and the horizontal axis.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more light detectors comprise an array of light detectors connected in parallel to one another.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more light detectors comprise a single sensing element detector.
16. The LIDAR device of claim 15, wherein a cross-sectional area of the one or more light detectors is greater than a cross-sectional area of the primary aperture.
17. The LIDAR device of claim 15, wherein a cross-sectional area of the one or more light detectors is greater than a sum of cross-sectional areas of the plurality of apertures.
18. The LIDAR device of claim 15, wherein the one or more light detectors is at a first distance to the lens, wherein the opaque material is at a second distance to the lens, and wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.
19. The LIDAR device of claim 15, wherein the opaque material comprises an opaque mask overlaying a glass substrate.
20. The LIDAR device of claim 15, wherein the opaque material comprises a metal, and wherein the metal is etched to define the plurality of apertures.
22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a vehicle, wherein the LIDAR device is coupled to the vehicle.
24. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of secondary apertures further include a third secondary aperture at a third distance from the primary aperture, wherein the third distance is greater than the second distance.
25. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more light detectors include one or more single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs).
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December 29, 2018
January 24, 2023
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